700 Section - Development of an Undergraduate Medical Curriculum in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine

Objectives : Develop a standardized undergraduate medical curriculum for Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine

Design: Descriptive study reviewing Philippine health statistics and using group interviews and survey questionnaires sent to Fellows of the Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine, deans of various Philippine Medical Schools and graduates of various medical schools doing community practice

Results: Based on Philippine health statistics and manpower development goals, survey of various Philippine Medical School deans, and experiences of community physicians and Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine specialists in practice based settings, the learning needs of medical students were identified and instructional designs were prepared on 11 topics/common conditions requiring proper knowledge, skills and behaviors in physical and rehabilitation medicine at the  level of the general physician: 1) The Disability Models; 2) Physiatric History-Taking and Physical Examination, Goal Setting and Referral Pathways; 3) Stroke and its Rehabilitation; 4) Osteoarthritis and other Degenerative Joint Diseases; 5) Neck and Back Pain including Scoliosis and Radiculopathies; 6) Pain and Overuse Syndromes; 7)  Spinal Cord Injury;  8) Pediatric Rehabilitation; 9) Cardiopulmonary and Critical Care Rehabilitation 10) Assistive and Adaptive Technology including TeleRehabilitation; and 11) Community Based Rehabilitation.

Conclusion: Development of a standardized undergraduate Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine medical curriculum requires review of existing health data and manpower development goals, collaboration with Deans of medical learning institutions and real world experiences of practitioners in the community.